


Jumping to Conclusions

by guardianoffun



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 12:50:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15291894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guardianoffun/pseuds/guardianoffun
Summary: 'She blinks away tears, hears herself whisper. “Please, T’Pol, no…” because she can’t help it she always thinks the worst.'(Don't worry, they're all okay in the end)





	Jumping to Conclusions

**Author's Note:**

> I just??? wanted to explore Hoshi's reaction to some of the worst case scenarios? I'm not even sure I'm happy with how this turned out but!! enjoy?

Hoshi doesn’t mean to jump to conclusions. She doesn’t want to, but her brain has a habit of making connections faster than she means to sometimes. (Some part of her distantly wonders if that’s part of why she finds new languages so easy to pick up). She doesn’t mean to assume the worst, but after the past few years of exploring it seems the worst is usually the case. It’s been an hour since their last check in, but the away team aren’t responding to hails, even though the connection is fine. When they can’t pick up anything past a few weak lifesigns, Hoshi’s mind makes the leap while her heart sinks in her chest. Her eyes meet Archer’s and he sees the same horror on his face. He’s made the same leaps. They’re gone; Travis, Trip, T’Pol. The captain’s eyes flicker around the bridge. He jerks a hand towards the door as he stands suddenly. 

“Malcolm, Hoshi - with me.” The two of them slip from their stations and fall in behind him. They speed towards the cargo bay, even though they already know this is more recovery than rescue. The journey from bridge to shuttlepod happens in a bit of a blur for Hoshi, she is somewhat aware of Malcolm pushing a waterproof jacket into her hands, of even strapping herself into the seat. Phlox joins them but it doesn’t quite register with her. The ride down is a juddering haze, the silence inside a jarring contrast to the noise as they are buffeted around. She notices Malcolm turning a sickly shade of white but it’s probably more to do with what they’ll find down there than the shaking. They land with a thud, but the noise doesn’t stop as thunder cracks, and rain beats down.

Even though they’ve landed less than half a mile from the other pod, they can barely see in front of their faces, let alone to the others. All three flick on their torches, Malcolm hoists his phase pistol up and they pick their way across slippery grasslands as fast as they can. At one point, Hoshi’s foot catches on a twisted root, and it sends pain shooting through her, making her teeth tingle. Both Malcolm and the captain glance over and she waves them on. Phlox goes to stop her but she shakes her head. It’s not broken, just throbbing, and it pales in comparison to all the thing she is imagining has befallen the others. She presses on, trying to ignore the pulsing sensation and the increasingly awful images she is picturing. Archer slips at one point, grazes his hand on the way and waves it off. Malcolm gets a falling branch to the back, but the three of them keep on.

The shuttlepod eventually appears through the pouring rain, and Hoshi’s heart leaps as she sees light flooding out from the gaping hole where the door of the pod should be. She tries not to remember the number of dangerous animal life forms this planet had (378 at their last estimate) or how long the pod might have been down here (1 hour and 47 minutes at worst). She tries to swallow the fear that is building inside her as she watches Malcolm stalk towards the pod, weapon ready. She hates that she waits for him to lower it before her feet will move further. Archer’s hand finds her shoulder and she feels some comfort in knowing he is only a step behind her. She’s thankful for it when she sees inside too, because her legs tremble and she nearly drops, but Archer keeps her steady. She feels Phlox push past her, gently, and is grateful that one of them is capable of moving right now.

The pod is a mess, paneling hanging from the ceiling, burnt metal and ash on the floor. Hoshi tries to swallow, but her throat is tight. Trip is sprawled out on the floor facedown, something dark pooling by his head. Travis has been thrown back against his chair, and she can’t look for long enough to work out what has been lodged in his stomach. Phlox is running a scanner over Travis as she turns. Her heart thudding in her chest, Hoshi’s eyes finally fall on T’Pol. Slumped over the console, one hand that looks blistered and burnt almost touches the floor, and her face a mess of blood and bruises she is unmoving. She’s by her side in seconds. She knows that captain is already by Trip and Malcolm is offering his hands to Phlox, they’ve got their jobs. She has hers.

She blinks away tears, hears herself whisper. “Please, T’Pol, no…” because she can’t help it she always thinks the worst. Her hand reaches out to check for a pulse when she realises she doesn't know a thing about Vulcan biology really, she won’t know how to help T’Pol even if she can, or if anything she does will make things worse and she cannot bare the thought of losing this woman, she simply can’t and the fear is just- then she sees T’Pol’s shoulders move. Then again. Again. She’s breathing. She knows enough damn biology for that. Relief washes over her. At least she’s alive. (By the rapid fire conversation between Archer and Phlox both of the others are alive as well, and it calms some of the frantic terror.)

As Hoshi runs a medical scanner over T’Pol, Phlox snaps open a communicator and gets a transporter ready to move Travis because it’s too risky to try and carry him back to the pod. Archer eases Trip into a more upright position, Malcolm helping to pull the commander up. Between the two of them they can get him back to the pod, and Hoshi and Phlox can get T’Pol together. While Trip is out cold, but when Phlox gently shifts T’Pol back in her seat, she seems to be a little coherent.

“Hoshi?” she mumbles, before slumping back. Hoshi reaches over and gives her unburnt hand a light squeeze. “I’m here, I’ve got you.” 

T’Pol face seems to be the least damaged, but her arm and torso is a ghastly mess of burnt fabric and singed flesh. She must have been caught in the blast of an exploding console, one arm flung up to protect her face as best she could. Phlox presses a pain reliever to her neck but there’s little else he can do while in the pod. Both of them managed to move T’Pol from the seat, Phlox lifting her in his arms till they can step out of the pod. The rain seems to have let up ever so slightly, they can actually see Malcolm and Archer ahead of them already. Hoshi tugs of her jacket and throws it over T’Pol and then helps Phlox to guide her backwards. She must be somewhat aware, because she makes stumbling steps when they move, and starts gasping whenever they make a sudden stop. Each wince, every groan takes a stab at Hoshi’s heart, but she tries to tune them out. There’s no nice way of doing this, and the other pod is almost there, so close. 

Malcolm jumps out and helps them to ease T’Pol in, Phlox getting her onto a bench while Malcolm gives Hoshi a hand up. He gives her a once over, and then asks “Are you okay?” She nods, feeling tears well in her eyes. Malcolm dithers for a second, before wrapping one arm around her in a kind-of hug. “It’s going to be okay, Hoshi,” he says, quietly, before ducking into one of the chairs. Hoshi tries to believe him. Archer spins from where he is already sat in the pilot's chair and throws her a smile. He seems more confident now. But it’s Phlox who really sways her, when he turns around and nods at her. 

* * *

Hoshi races straight to sickbay with Phlox, ahead of the stretchers. She falters for a moment at the sight of Travis, who the medical team have just finished working on, and tries not to think about how quiet and still he is. She takes a moment to press a kiss to his head, chastising him for ruining their dinner together, before moving over to help prep beds for the others. She’s been stopping by sickbay fairly often recently in her off hours, keeping Phlox company during the more quiet times onboard. She’s nowhere near a full trained nurse but she’s learnt enough to have the right gauzes and creams laid out. Once the stretchers arrive she lets Phlox and his team take charge, but she stays, offering an extra set of hands where needed. Leaving isn’t an option, she cannot bear to go knowing three of the people she loves most are here.

When she can’t be of anymore use, she pulls up a chair beside T’Pol’s bed, out of the way while she is seen to. She keeps her eyes on the steady rise and fall of her chest, and her hand finds itself slowly combing through her hair. It’s the least damaged part of her body, though they are all relieved to learn that most of T’Pol’s burns are superficial, a few second-degree burns along her arms but Phlox has already slathered it with antibiotics and wrapped it.

Somehow, despite all three of them nearly dying, T’Pol, Trip and Travis all look to make a full recovery. Hoshi isn’t sure if  she wants to kiss them of slap them. She’ll probably do both eventually. As the evening goes on, sickbay thins out. The occupants of the beds are as comfortable as can be, sleeping off the pain meds in a comfortable quiet. She isn’t alone in her bedside watch, Archer is hunched over, half-asleep beside Trip, Porthos asleep at his feet. Phlox hovers and every once in a while Malcolm drops by under the pretence of having forgotten to bring or take something, but his eyes linger on the three beds before he leaves again. 

It’ll be awhile before anyone starts waking up, so Hoshi rests her head on the side of T’Pol’s bed and falls into a quiet, dreamless sleep.

* * *

When she wakes, she’s slowly aware of someone staring at her, the sensation making the back of her head tingle. Lifting her head up, she comes face to face with a now very conscious T’Pol.

“Subcommander!” She says, trying to keep quiet whilst also attempting to express her pure relief. T’Pol doesn’t say anything for a second and looks as though she is trying to find the words she wants. Hoshi assumes it’s the painkillers still coursing through her.

“You… have been here all night?” She says but it sounds more like a question. Hoshi flushes as she ducks her head.

“Uh yes, of course- I mean, I needed to, I-“ T’Pol fixes her with a stern stare.

“That was irresponsible Hoshi, you have not got adequate rest, I am sure,” her voice drops softly then.

“However, I am grateful you are here now. Very much so.” She reaches out with her least wounded hand and cups Hoshi’s cheek. 

“For a moment it looked unlikely we were going to return to Enterprise. The thought of leaving you was quite…”

T’Pol’s face falls slightly, and she seems to hold Hoshi tighter.

“It was unthinkable.” 

Hoshi leans forward, and presses a kiss to the unbroken patch of skin above T’Pol’s cheek. 

“I thought I’d lost you.” T’Pol turns her face and their lips meet. Hoshi smiles as they part. “Thank you for coming back to me.” T’Pol’s lips pull upwards into that small, warm smile that makes her heart flutter. 

“For you, Hoshi… always.” 

**Author's Note:**

> im shit at ending things lol


End file.
